The first half sounded superb and Tony Morley suggested that the first half was the best we’d played for around two years. Indeed, it sounded like even Westwood, Gabby and Hutton were playing really well and Johnstone hardly touched the ball.
At one stage, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if we were 4-0 up; we were that impressive.
So what happened?

We went in two up at half time and things should have been very comfortable.
Nothing changed when the teams came back on and we retained the same 4-1-4-1 that seemed the best balanced we’ve been in a long time.

Yet we still managed to let them back into it and this surely has to be a mental thing?

Steve Bruce, who I don’t see got it wrong today, even though I feared for us from the off when I saw the line-up, must quite simply be pulling his hair out.

I predicted a 0-0 today and I’d have taken that.
But to have played so well in the first half and still end up drawing?
That’s a massive 2 points dropped, whichever way you look at it.

There are plus points in that we showed that we can do it.
But we have to show more resilience if we’re going to get to the play-offs.
Lansbury looked ok and that’s another plus.
Along with us retaining our home record.
Oh, we got two goals too.

Like this:

974 Comments

Derby in the playoff positions now. McClaren doing a good job so far with them. We have to keep faith in Bruce and the current setup though as we have damaged the club too much by chopping and changing. He has to be given the rest of the season to get it right in preparation for a proper go at it next season. This season should be about creating a winning team from the squad at our disposal. Then hopefully performances like tonight will be few and far between. It’s painful at the minute but it will come good eventually.

It was shameful . I can reluctantly accept defeat to a better team, but find it hard to accept toothless performances like that. The problem is they keep coming no matter who the manager or players we put out. These players have been afforded every opportunity in wearing our claret and blue colours and our great stadium and training facilities. They had ten days to prepare for tonight and that performance was horrendous. The fact they were no better in the second half made things even worse.

Early days but I was really underwhelmed by all three of the new signings.
Hourihane terrible.
Lansbury if he hadn’t have been subbed he’d have been sent off and the Icelandic fella looked unfit and off the pace.
Oh well they can only get better.

I was disappointed with Hourihane the most I don’t even remember him touching the ball. Out of all the signings I thought he was arguably the best one. Icelandic guy is simply not fit enough and Lansbury is an attacking midfielder not s defensive one. Again Bruce playing players out of position. Jedinek was a huge loss tonight. The new keeper can sod of back to Utd as rubbish as the Ines he’s replaced. When have Utd ever done us a favour ffs. Remember Djemba Djemba and Mcleish

I can’t see this team coming up even next year. Let’s be honest if this team did go up and we started with them on prem next season we would be even more humiliated than last season. We’d be lucky to get 5 points in the prem

I bet u even Mcormack will look like Costa when he plays for Forest. I think it could be years maybe a decade before we are back in the prem. The club has been on a downward spiral for years. Ever since Ellis came back in the 80s the magic of club seemed to die at that moment imo.

I’m on the fence regarding the new signings only been with us a few days, I’ll also start going on the fence regarding Bruce soon his now brought in players he wants if he can’t get them performing sorry mate you ain’t the man for the job. Last night’s performance was a joke why did we switch off after the first 10 mins???

I don’t it was a case of switching off mate more a two fold issue –
1. Our long ball over the top route one tactic got bubbled.
2. After ten minutes Brentford lost any respect they had and realized we weren’t all that.

First 10 mins was as good as IV seen us play. Then after that it was pathetic. Imagine if we were away to a full strength prem team last night! I’m not exaggerating when I say they probably would if got double figures

There is no doubt that we miss Jedinak sitting in front of the back four – I’m pretty sure all or most of our worst performances have been with him absent. That said it doesn’t excuse the spineless and unprofessional performance from the players which was an insult to the club and the fans that turn up every week, particularly on the road – they don’t deserve subject abject capitulation. Of course we will blame the manager but that performance was far more than tactics or team selection – in fact how many of us would have picked a radically different starting 11?

One game doesn’t make a season and SB has to be given the time to get this right over the remaining games. Another season in the Championship beckons; we are Aston Villa but we have no divine right to be in the Prem.

We’re well off the mark to even be considered PL candidates we can’t even hold our own in this league, there’s still loads of work to do & we’re miles away from the finished product.Mid table at best this season

Bruce will be exposed massively now. Last time he faced pressure at Sunderland he collapsed catastrophically and was sacked. I see the same result here, he isn’t made out to manage in high pressure situations and now given the money spent he will be under the biggest pressure of his managerial career.
I hope it works out but I fear as I expected from day one that it will end in disaster. The club made the wrong choice again

What was the right choice V1? Criticism is easy, particularly in hindsight, and often made without offering an alternative solution.

I supported the appointment of Bruce because I felt it was the best option at the time of available managers and given the problems facing the club. McClaren, for instance, has done well going back to Derby but remember the fans didn’t want him and Derby have been knocking at promotions door for around 3 seasons now whereas Villa have been in terminal decline for years.

I do like Bruce tbf and I’m convinced he really wants to do well for us. He isn’t here to mess about and be a mercenary and he’s grateful for the opportunity. Having said that he has to have ability to manage a team like ours. This is a different type of pressure for Bruce as he’s manager lower clubs than ours and signed players on a shoestring budget. Thus there was never any pressure on him. It’s different now as at Villa we are seen as the Man Utd of this division and he has spent a lot of money. Therefore he has a pressure and an expectation that we should win or be favourites to win the majority of our games. The question is can Bruce adapt to this as he is punching above his weight. Now look at Benitez always been a high profile manager at high profile clubs so can handle it a lot better.

I just hope that someone had the gumption to include a ‘no-play-against Villa’ in McCormacks loan deal. Because you can see it now, he bangs in a couple against us on Saturday.

I don’t know what it is. We looked the best I have seen Villa play against Brentford – for the first 10-12 minutes. Then we started dropping deeper and deeper. WHY? Kodija was so far apart from the midfield he needed a phone to communicate with them after they dropped right back.

Brentford had time on the ball, always, yet when we had it anywhere remotely near their half, they had 3 players closing us down quickly.

We are so far from Prem standard it is untrue. The players could not have been tired (except kodija maybe) they had all had 2 weeks off.

So what is it? I am at a loss, all the enthusiasm lost from transfer deadline day already, because play anything like we did last night, we will be easily beaten by Forest on Saturday.

A friend of mine suggested it was because every team we play against – it is their cup final. I dont accept this, look at Newcastle.

Another season in the chumps next season, and if Bruce doesnt get it right straight off the bat, I can see him being sacked and this whole circus and merry fo round starts again.

I think there is an element of truth in teams raising their game against us but there is the added belief that Villa are beatable – I’m not sure that level of confidence exists when teams play Newcastle.

Villa have to find a way of removing that ‘beatable’ tag which is easier said than done.

The performance last night was disjointed – one could almost see confusion around whether we should attack or defend and in the end we did neither. It was as if the first 10 minutes attacking scared the daylights out of the Villa team and they never recovered 🙂

We all cannot be wrong can we , that was diar to say the least, I’m hiding away at the minute from my little grandson who I’m making excuses after excuse telling him we will be good one day.I’m giving in Now if that was suppose to be better players its time for me to put a pair of boots on and pissing show them how to play football. Worse load of shit footballers I’ve seen being bought to improve a team, God help us.

Starting to think Calderwood is an issue. Since he arrived our players lack movement. The sceptic in me would suggest he is doing what Sherwood was rumoured to have done at Spurs. Either way i would sack him and bring in Phelan as Calderwoods coaching is not working with these players

I’m looking forward to Saturday maybe on my own hogan has a few days to get used to his team mates also hourihane & bjarnason would of had a bit longer. Maybe I’m just living in hope jedi back would be nice to cement the midfield also see bree getting a start

Giddy I’m with you – one thing you have to be supporting the Villa these days is an eternal optimist. Last night is history and after a bad night I’m up for a better future.

However, I expect there will be changes – I saw a headline questioning whether Lansbury will play (injury / part of the deal?), Bjarnason is not match fit and Amavi looked poor again defensively. I think alongside the Jedi we might see Gardner playing with Taylor coming in at left back. Don’t think we can play with both Adomah and Green so one to drop out for Hogan ….. but then again what do I know!

I understand brucey wants to play 4-4-2, I assume that’ll be jedi, lansbury, hourihane & bjarnason then kodjia & hogan upfront when they gel (finger crossed) look forward to that game hope it’s not too long coming like you say WTF do I know